Why Are Religious People So Intolerant of Other Religions?

I was watching the Colbert Report tonight and he said something that really struck a note of truth as far as elections here in the US goes.

He said, "Isn't any non-Christian religion offensive to voters?"

And that got me thinking, you know...he seems to have a point. And not the Christian part, but I was thinking, when it comes to any group of organized religion, be it atheism, Christianity, Muslims, Judaism, etc., why are they so intolerant of the religions of others?

In fact, and I may be wrong about this, but the only religion I have noticed that seems to be the most peaceful and passive towards the religions of others is Buddhism. Why is this?
I am not educated on this topic as many of you which is why I would like to know what you guys think.

So why are the majority of religions intolerant towards other religions and view them as "wrong" or whatever? Isn't this self defeating towards what religion is supposed to be all about?



[edit on 7/15/2008 by Mad_Hatter]

Originally posted by Mad_Hatter
In fact, and I may be wrong about this, but the only religion I have noticed that seems to be the most peaceful and passive towards the religions of others is Buddhism.

i hear this! and have wondered the same thing. bc of what you said above being a fact, i probably adhere to the buddhist belief more than any other. i try to anyway

(off topic: like the pic you have up.)

A great example of that is the current Catholic 'World Youth Day' underway in Sydney. On Monday, Australian Cardinal George Pell came out and basically said that western countries (re: Christian white guys) aren't producing enough babies to sustain western (ie, white) populations and that we're all going to be outbred by other races. That sounds to me like the same fear that Nazism tried to evoke.

That of course aimed at countering the perceived threat of Islam.

Shock radio jocks keep saying that WYD is good reminder that Australia is a Christian nation - which I think is bollocks. It's just Australia, I don't think it should be defined what religious majority it holds.

Of course, the Catholics here in Australia are basically ramping up full-pelt the message that we're all a bunch of evil condom-wearing heathens that need conversion and need to be shown the 'light'.

Among the pomp and ceremony, they ignore and try to gloss-over the sexual abuse issue.

The whole thing just annoys me to no end. Of course it's not just Christianity, but like you mentioned, all the major Abrahamic religions have their hang ups with each other and everyone else that disagrees with what the other says.

Yes I watched the same show as I love watching him and the show before him, he always make this type of comments about politics and relgion.

He is not far from the truth I am afraid.

Religion is all about power and control. If you want power and control, you have to convince everyone else that you are right and everyone else is wrong. And with enough money, you can brainwash all of your followers to go out and convince others that you are right and they are wrong and they should become one of your followers.

Originally posted by Mad_Hatter
the only religion I have noticed that seems to be the most peaceful and passive towards the religions of others is Buddhism. Why is this?

Why is it that its the only denomination you have noticed that has tolerance? Most likely because you haven't been looking for tolerance anywhere, or because you haven't been looking for intolerance in Buddhism. Seek and ye shall find, especially now that google is around, ha:

www.news24.com...

the mob chanted "Destroy the church!" and "Long live Buddhism!" as it descended upon the unfinished Protestant Church on Friday in Boeng Krum Leu, 30km east of Phnom Penh.

Che Saren, the chief of Lvea Em district, said the Buddhists felt threatened by the visible presence of another faith.

The church would have been the area's second, but there was only one Buddhist pagoda to serve the spiritual needs of the overwhelmingly Buddhist community.

p.s. I would like to add that it is rarely (if ever) the religion or philosophy that makes people intolerant, but rather the unfortunate side effect of mob mentality, and/or a charismatic, manipulative ringleader.

[edit on 15-7-2008 by scientist]

Originally posted by annestacey
Religion is all about power and control. If you want power and control, you have to convince everyone else that you are right and everyone else is wrong. And with enough money, you can brainwash all of your followers to go out and convince others that you are right and they are wrong and they should become one of your followers.

Wow, I couldn't agree with you more. It is a very sad thing, but I feel that it is true. Not to say that all followers of these religions feel this way, but it is what the religions are designed to do, in my opinion. Because it is the nature of man, sadly.

Originally posted by scientist


Why is it that its the only denomination you have noticed that has tolerance? Most likely because you haven't been looking for tolerance anywhere, or because you haven't been looking for intolerance in Buddhism. Seek and ye shall find, especially now that google is around, ha:
p.s. I would like to add that it is rarely (if ever) the religion or philosophy that makes people intolerant, but rather the unfortunate side effect of mob mentality, and/or a charismatic, manipulative ringleader.

[edit on 15-7-2008 by scientist]

Wow, thanks for that post. Very informative. Like I said, I didn't know much about it as alot of you, which is why I was asking. I think you are right, I may not have been really looking for it in Buddhism. I guess all religions have their downfall due to the mob mentality. That is a really good way to put it. Once again, Thanks!

It may have something to do with the pecking order mentality of social darwinism. It is definitely ego driven, either by the need to feel superior, or the concern that one isn't. Fear and doubt, like death, are the province of the devil. The devil hates religion and wants to destroy attempts to communicate with the Creator altogether.

Also, I have another question.

All over the place you see issues of how people claim Obama is a Muslim, and yada yada...well how come no one complains that Bush is a Christian? Or that Obama is indeed a Christian? Isn't it the same thing? I mean, not the religion's being the same thing, of course, but the fact that he's religious.

Just to add to what has been said already: For religious leaders it is indeed about control and the hostility is simple competition for resources (sheep). For the Believers or followers (sheep), the hostility comes from the idea that if some other religion is right they are wrong and are no longer The Chosen Ones(tm). So the hostility is out of fear.

Organised religion is all a crock of crap. That's why buddhism is more tolerant, because instead of an organised religion as such, although it has *some* institutional structure, in reality is functions more as a loose life philosophy. That and the fact they probably actually know how this whole reality thing works, at least to some degree, while the rest of the big religions are basically making up bullcrap as they go along. Doubt me? Just think about the recent comment of the catholic church that Aliens are god's children and possibly don't have original sin. They're just making all this up according to the flow in an effort to maintain the only thing they have ever really been interested in, as an elite controlled institution, ie, their socioeconomic position.

If you want true religion, look within yourself.

Scare tactic. The current political environment is such that voting for a Muslim for president right now would be considered by many of those I referenced in my last post as tantamount to treason.

All religions are derived from an us, them mentality. We are the chosen, they are the goyem, We are the saved, they are the heathen, We are the children of God, they are the followers of Satan. etc, etc, etc....

In order for your personal religion to be right, all the others must be wrong.

That's why I'm a member of the UUA. (Unitarian Universalist.) The main tenant of the UU is respect for everyone else. I can stand beside a Christian, a Wiccan and a Kabalist and respect them as we each pray to whatever God we believe in.

I personally am a Spiritual Anarchist. I believe the only path to spiritual freedom is overcoming religion and getting it out of your life for good. I still respect the beliefs of others though. I don't want them to believe like I do, I want them to find their own path.

Just some thoughts,

Originally posted by Zepherian
Doubt me? Just think about the recent comment of the catholic church that Aliens are god's children and possibly don't have original sin.

That is an interesting statement. Do you have more I could read on that? I didn't even know that the Catholic church said that. Very interesting.

I agree that true oneness and religion comes from within. Through a direct connection with God that is already existing in yourself.

Originally posted by mrwupy


I personally am a Spiritual Anarchist. I believe the only path to spiritual freedom is overcoming religion and getting it out of your life for good. I still respect the beliefs of others though. I don't want them to believe like I do, I want them to find their own path.

Just some thoughts,

Spiritual Anarchist. I like that term.

Quick Google Fu: vaticandiplomacy.wordpress.com...

reply to post by Zepherian

Original sin, which by Christian tradition occurred in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit of a particular tree, refers to the fallen state from which humans can be saved only by God’s grace.

Asked about the difficult theological question, Father Funes said: “If other intelligent beings exist, it’s not certain that they need redemption.”

They could “have remained in full friendship with their creator” without committing the original sin, he said.

Yep, there it is. Straight from the Catholic church itself. Thanks man!

Originally posted by scientist
Why is it that its the only denomination you have noticed that has tolerance? Most likely because you haven't been looking for tolerance anywhere, or because you haven't been looking for intolerance in Buddhism. Seek and ye shall find, especially now that google is around, ha:

for me, i would have to disagree. i have been LOOKING for tolerance and found that buddhism has more tolerance than most (though i am not dogmatic that only buddhism is tolerant and all others are intolerant). i would believe that this is because they believe, for the most part, in neutrality. i found their religion to be one the most hard to follow but one of the most practical to follow.

however, i see the same message as buddhism underneath the suface of most religons and thus, i don't identify w/ any particular religion. i believe that the Creator's laws were written on the hearts of all of us and that if we seek those laws (not written, mind you), understanding will come.

to identify a god as "such and such" is to put the Creator in a box and thus deny his true nature and the way he works on an individual basis.

reply to post by Mad_Hatter


"We're all going in the same direction"...Hoobastank

im a Catholic and my wife is Wiccan, she has her religeous beliefs i have mine, this topic would be a bit of a generalisation no?